COMPOSER’S MESSAGE: THE TERM TO “SWING THE CAT” HARKENS BACK
TO THE DAYS OF GALLEY SHIPS WHEN THE ROWERS WERE CHAINED BELOW DECKS. WHEN YOU
HAD SO MANY MEN BELOW DECKS THAT THERE WAS NO ROOM TO MOVE IT WAS REFERRED TO
AS ‘NOT ENOUGH ROOM TO SWING THE CAT’. THE ‘CAT’ WAS AN INSTRUMENT OF
PUNISHMENT CONSISTING OF IRON NAILS KNOTTED INTO LENGTHS OF LEATHER THAT WERE
THEN ATTACHED TO A LONG STIFF HANDLE. (ALSO KNOWN AS A‘CAT O’ NINE TAILS’).

MY USE OF THE ‘SWING THE CAT’ IDEA REFERS TO SOMETHING ELSE
ALTOGETHER. I HAVE READ IN SEVERAL VERY OLD MANUSCRIPTS THAT THERE WAS A WAY TO
SAVE A DROWNED CAT’S LIFE BY HOLDING IT’SHIND LEGS AND SWINGING AROUND IN A CIRCLE. THUS, THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE
WOULD PULL THE WATER OUT OF THE CAT’S LUNGS.

I’VE PUT THESE IDEAS TOGETHER IN A SIMPLE, AND HOPEFULLY,
WHIMSICAL WAY AS A PROCESS OF CREATIVE WORD USE. IN NO WAY DO I INTEND TO
SUGGEST THAT ANYONE MANHANDLE A CAT OR TREAT IT IN ANYWAY BUT A KIND AND GENTLE
MANNER !